Prospective Students

Postgraduate Students

If you already have an undergraduate degree but want to upgrade your skills, increase your career opportunities, change your career direction or simply further an area of interest, postgraduate study is a great option. La Trobe University offers over 200 coursework and research degrees at postgraduate level, across five Faculties and all campuses with the exception of Beechworth.

Levels of postgraduate study

There are varying levels of Postgraduate study available, from Graduate Certificates to Doctorates. They vary in length, mode of study and cost. Postgraduate studies may be undertaken by coursework, research or a combination of both.

Coursework programs frequently involve lectures or seminars and, depending on the level of qualification, a minor thesis.

Research qualifications are awarded following the completion of a major thesis, involving original research, under the supervision of a senior academic. The Research and Graduate Studies Office is a helpful source of information and advice for further candidature and scholarship information.

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Postgraduate course information

If you require preliminary course information please refer to CourseFinder, which allows you to search for available courses across all campuses. Detailed information about course structure and the subjects available can be found in the University Handbook.

If you already know what field of study you are interested in, please consult the relevant Faculty website for further information:

• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Law and Management comprised of:
  • School of Business
  • La Trobe Law
  • School of Tourism and Hospitality
  • Graduate School of Management
• Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

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Applying

Applications to become a Master's or Doctoral candidate by research may be submitted by local students at any time. Applicants for Doctoral candidature should already hold a Master's degree or have completed an Honours Bachelor degree at a very high level of achievement. Applicants for Master's by Research candidature are usually required to have completed an Honours degree or Master's Preliminary. Applications for candidature may be downloaded from the Research and Graduate Studies website after contact is made with potential supervisors.

For coursework degrees, application forms may be obtained from the relevant campus or Faculty Office, as listed above. Applications for most coursework programs close between late October and late January each year but if you have missed the closing date, you should still check with the University as to whether late applications will be accepted. Closing dates for applications are published in Course Finder.

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Financing and supporting your study

Paying course fees and supporting yourself while studying can be a major influence over postgraduate study choice. Studying by coursework will incur course fees - some of these will be full fees and some can be paid by PELS or HECS.

Some scholarships are available for Masters by research, and Doctoral study:

• Australian Postgraduate Award
• La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarship
• La Trobe University Union Environment Scholarship
• International Postgraduate Research Scholarship
• David Myers Research Scholarship

For further information about what financial aid is available to you, and to discuss your options in more detail, please contact the Financial Aid offices at the campus you wish to study at.

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Student support

While you are a postgraduate student at La Trobe University, there are a number of organisations that can provide you with advice, information and support when you need it, for free.

Each campus has a Student Support Service offering services such as child-care and health services, counselling and access to information and advice in a wide variety of areas.

The La Trobe University Postgraduate Association (LUPA) is situated at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus and is a useful resource during your study.

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Where can I get more information?

To help you in making your choice about which university and course to choose, we have produced a Guide to Postgraduate Courses (PDF 1.1Mb). To receive a copy by post, please contact us.

Sundays in August are Open Days at La Trobe. This is your chance to visit the University, talk to staff about your options, meet current students, take a campus tour and view the facilities. You are welcome to visit at any other time on an individual basis.

If you wish to talk to one of our Course Information Officers in person, please call 1300 135 045. Alternatively, you can Ask La Trobe.